Electric belt and truss



(No Model.)

A. T. SHERWOOD.

ELBGTBIG BELT AND TRUSS.

Patented Feb. '9, 1886.'

Nv PETERS, P lMo-Llllmgmphar, \Vashillglurm 0,64

Nil-TE i aThNT FFIQE.

ANDREW T. SHERWVOOD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC BELT AND TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,638, dated February9. 1886.

' Application liled February 9, 1885. Serial Yo. 155,437. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may. concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW T. SHERWOOD,

of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, haveinvented an Improvement in Electric Belts and Trusses; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame. V

In a former application made by me I de scribed and claimed an electrictruss-pad combined with a galvanic battery which formed an integral partof the pad-that is, the bat tery was secured in the body of the pad.

My present invention, however, contemplates the employment of anindependi nt electric belt, such as is used for therapeutical purposes,in connection with a truss pad and belt, and so combining and connectingthe two that the electric current generated in the battery of theelectric belt is passed through the trusspad and used for an adjunct forhealing rupture. These belts are independent of each other, so thateither can be worn separately; or, when desired, they can be connectedso as to act conjointly.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention, Figure 1 is a view showing the attachment of mytruss-pad to the truss-belt and the swiveled connection of theleg'st-rap. Fig. 2 shows the manner of connecting or detaching theelectric belt with the truss belt and pad. Fig. 3 is a detail showingthe plate H and means for attaching the same.

A is a truss-pad, which I form and construct of elastic and flexiblematerial, so that it will yield and conform itself to the part to whichit is applied, and also adapt itself to the movements of the personwithout creating undue pressure and inconvenience. This pad ispreferably covered with a membranous or animal tissue, which, whenmoistened, will be a good conductor of electricity, and the whole issecured to a rigid back piece, which I have shown in the present case asconsisting of a heavy piece of leather having an exterior metallicplate, 13, secured to it by screws or otherwise. From a convenient pointupon the back plate, 13, a stout pin, C, proj eets,and is attached to anelastic metallic plate, D, which is supported within the flexible beltE, so that when the latter is placed about the person the elasticmetallic plate may act to press the pad against the part to be treated.The rivet or pin C is fixed so tight that the pad cannot be turnedwithout considerable force, but it may be adjusted to any angle withrelation to the supporting-belt, so that it can be applied. to theperson in any desired position, and will then remain in place.

In order to hold the belt and pad in proper position, it is usual toemploy a strap, F, which passes beneath the thigh, and its ends areattached at or near the pad and to the rear portion of the belt. Inorder to make this connection so that the strain will come upon thepivot-pin, to which the pad is adjusted, I enploy a swivel-hook, G, oneend of which is loosely attached to the pin 0, so that it may turn inany direction without influencing or changing the position of the paditself. The anterior end of the leg-strap has a ring or other device bywhich it may be connected with this hook, and by this arrangement itwill be seen that the movements of the person or the legstrap will causethe swivel-hook to yield and move about the pin without in any waydisarranging the adjustment of the pad itself, because they both move ona common center.

In order to apply the volt-aic current through the pad to the partsaffected,I use a secondary or additional belt which is composed ofaseries ofvoltaic elements,such as is commonly known as an electric belt.The cells are taken in two groups, and connected in multiplearcrelation. The poles of the two batteries con meet at the middle of thebelt with a metallic plate, H, which is so constructed that it can hookover the middle of the truss-belt and come in contact with the nakedspine of the wearer when the belt is put I ii. To this end the plate isprovided with a large hook,which hooks into the electric belt, so as toconnect with the poles of the batteries, thus admitting the truss-beltto pass between the plate and electric belt, as shown at Fig. 2. Theother poles of the two batteries are connected by flexible wires withthe swivel-hook G.

In order to admit of the current being applied at certain intervals orto be cut off,when desired,without removing the truss, I connect onepole of the battery which forms a part of the electric belt with themetallic plate B or pin C, and through this pin with the swivelhook G atthe back of the pad by means of wire or other flexible conductors, whichcan be hooked or unhooked as occasion requires By this construction itwill be seen that the voltaic current may be caused to pass through thepart to be treated for any desired length of time, after which theflexible-wire connection may be detached from the swivel-hook and thecurrent stopped without removing the truss, which .may remaincontinuously in its position. The voltaic belt, which is independent ofand lies over the truss-belt, may, however, be removed when its servicesare no longer required.

By this construction I am enabled to apply the electrical currentthrough the pad for any desired length of time, and then cut it off, thepad meantime remaining in po.-ition until the rupture has been retaineda sufficient length of time.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An elastic flexible truss-pad having a rigid base, a swivel-pinconnecting it with a supporting-belt, about which pin the pad may beturned and adjusted, as shown, in combination with ahook or connectionloosely swiveled to the pin,and to which the leg-strap may be attached,substantially as herein described.

2. An elastic flexible pad with a rigid back and swivel-pin connectingwith the support ing-belt, so that it may be adjusted upon the pin, anda swivel-hook loosely attached to said pin, in combination with ametallic plate fixed in the anterior portion of the pad, a flexibleelastic conductor between said plate and the swivel-hook, and a voltaicbelt or battery having one of its poles applied to the person and theother so formed as to be connected to or detached from the swivel-hook,so that the voltaic current. may be used or cut off, substantially asherein described.

3. A plate having an extension by which it is connected with a voltaicbelt, and a curved hook or loop forming a recess between the plate andvoltaic belt to allow its being passed over the truss-belt withoutremoving or disturbing the latter, substantially as herein shown anddescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ANDREW T. SHERWOOD. Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, LEE D. CRAIG.

